Mating Rituals of the Viera
by megami tsuki195
Summary: Balthier x Fran. Answering the age old question… Just how do Viera reproduce? An entry they seemed to have left out of the extra info in the beastery XD No major spoilers
1. Mating Rituals of the Viera: Intro

**Mating Rituals of the Viera**

An account of data collected and complied for the behalf the Ivalician Society of Anthropology.

**Introduction**

Very little is known about the mysterious Viera race. Having little interest of the goings on of other races in Ivalice, they have always kept to themselves and have, for many centuries, remained secluded in the depths of the Golmore Jungle hardly ever venturing outside its old growth borders.

In resent years some Viera have ventured out of seclusion to live among the other humanoid races of Ivalice. But even so, little is known about them still, as they choose to remain rather tight lipped about themselves and their race. Very few outsiders know of their customs and those few also prefer to keep that knowledge to themselves.

One of the greatest mysteries of the Viera is how they breed. Though quite a few Female Viera have ventured from their solace of the forest glen, not one Male Viera has ever been seen out in the world of Man. Nor, for that mater, has anyone seen them in the depths of the jungle the Viera call home. No one in the history of all Ivalice has ever had the recollection of seeing a Male Viera. It easy for one to assume they don't exist at all.

Early speculation suggested they reproduce asexually and are born form The Wood itself. However in resent years it has been discovered that the Viera Female Anatomy is almost identical to that of the Hume Female Anatomy. That is to say they have all of the same sexual organs in the same manner as Hume Females do, thus leading to the conclusion that they procreate in a similar capacity. But without Males it is hard to image how this could ever come about. So thus is the great mystery that is Viera mating and reproduction.

There are Female Viera that have taken Hume lovers but there has never been any documentation of a Viera becoming pregnant by a Hume nor any of there ever being a mixed race Viera/Hume child.

It seems this conundrum would remain an enigma for all time.

That is if not for the findings one man who has been enticed to share his knowledge.

He has asked that his name and identity be kept secret and shall only be known as B.B. His Viera source will also be a secret I am not compelled to indulge.

I assure you by my own reputation B.B. is a very reliable source of information and has been respected member of Arcadian Academic Society for many years.

He only wished to pass on this information as a charitable contribution to further the spread of knowledge and understanding.

--_Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes: Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom._

* * *

Now that I have your attention X3…

Charitable contribution to the further spread of knowledge indeed XD

And we all know B.B. stands for Balthier Bunansa

The next chapter is about how Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes, Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom, came to posses Balthier's knowledge on the subject and Bal didn't exactly give it to be charitable X3

The story will go back a forth from the "Scientific Journal", which are basically just musings about my theory on how the heck the Viera reproduce in the first place, to the personal accounts that where responsible for such facts coming to light in the first place…in other words the accounts of Balthier's…encounters with such rituals… if you know what I mean ;D


	2. Sources

**How Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes came to posses Balthier's knowledge on the subject of Viera Mating rituals **

_Timeline_: Just after Balthier saved the YPA-GB47 Combat Fighter, soon to be Strahl, from the scrap yard , before he left Arcades.

* * *

"Ah Sweet freedom. You my dear are going to be my wings and fly me the hell away from this Bloody Empire and that _lunatic_ that use to be my father. To think those idiots were going to scrap a perfectly magnificent airship like you." 

Balthier looked over the airship he had just saved from being shredded into so much scrap metal "Hmm, she's going to need some work…a completely new engine I feel, and I should really upgrade her weapons system…I don't have much left after buying her off the scrap yard. I need a lot more Gil to restore this thing. The faster I can get it the better…"

"Ah so you've bought an airship." Came a voice.

Balthier turned to see a familiar friendly face.

"Ah Professor Seamus." Balthier smiled as his old Academy Professor approached "Yes indeed I have."

"The rumors are true then. You are leaving." Said the Professor solemnly. "Turned in your resignation from Judgeship and everything. Even cut all ties with your colleagues and acquaintances in the Empire Government. I can hardly believe it. You, my best and brightest pupil with the most potential I've seen of anyone for a long while…graduated two years early from The Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom with honors…the youngest man ever to reach Judgeship…what a waste."

Balthier's smile faded as he sighed heavily "I'm no longer your student so I don't have to listen to your lectures any more."

"I wasn't going to lecture…" sighed Seamus "I understand your reason for leaving. But it would be better for a man like you to stay in this sheltered world that is Arcadia. Imagine, you, a creature with your Father's intelligence, cunning and skill combined with your Mother's looks, wit and charm, out loose in the _real_ world. I shudder at the thought."

Balthier laughs "Flattery won't get me to stay old man."

"I know I know." Seamus nods "You've made up your mind. There's no stopping you once you've made up your mind to do something."

"Balthier!" called a voice from the ship.

Balthier and Professor Seamus looked up at Fran standing on the hull.

"What's your analysis Fran?" Asked Balthier

Fran jumped down from where she was up on the hull and landed in front of the two men.

It gave the Professor a bit of a start "Oh my."

"She not in bad shape." Says Fran "Though many of the key components have already been salvaged from her. Here's a list of what we'll need."

Fran handed Baltheir a clip board to look over. As he took it he smiled slightly noticing Professor Seamus unconsciously staring at his Viera companion.

"Fran, you remember Professor Seamus." Balthier said casually, breaking the Professor from his gaping.

Fran tiled her head in a slight nod. "Yes, Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes, Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom…you look well."

"Why thank you my dear thank you…Yes, yes I'm very well." the Professor stammered "you look well as…um… well." He gave a nervous laugh

Balthier couldn't help but smile wider watching his wise old mentor prattle on like a school boy over a woman such as Fran.

Fran turned her attention back to Baltheir "Another thing, Xander has agreed to let us use his workshop…for a price."

Baltheir sighed "And what price is that?"

"Your research and designs for airships." Said Fran

"Oh is that all? He can have it." said Balthier "He can have the whole lot and anything else he may want to pillage from my study."

Professor Seamus laughed "Everyone said you should have taken the position at Draklore in the airship division. You're a genius when it comes to the fine art of airship design. It always has been your true passion and calling."

"Right." Said Baltheir "And if I _had_ taken that position, my passion would have died a slow agonizing death, having to design the most magnificent masterpieces alloy and steel can make only to see them scraped over some trivial little thing like wing design." Baltheir looked up at the ship he had saved from such a fate. "Those idiots have no appreciation for art and craftsmanship."

Seamus smiled "And I suppose it had nothing at all to do with not wanting to work under your father and distinguishing yourself from him."

Baltheir only gave his old professor a sideways glance.

"Well then." Says Fran "I'll tell Xander your answer and bring the parts list to him."

"Right then." Nodded "I'll head over to the Moogle Mechanics Guild. Nono always said if I ever built an airship of my own he'd help me out…"

Fran gave a nod turned and headed out.

"Fascinating creatures, Viera." Commented the Professor when Fran had gone. "Such a beautiful race, and what knowledge they must accumulate over their long years. Oh how I envy the time they posses."

The professor turned to Baltheir "My dear boy, you've known Miss Fran for some time now. Surely you know something of the Viera race."

"Sorry," Baltheir Shrugs "she hasn't really told me much of anything about her people. She says 'that was all another life.' 'The past is past' and all that. Won't tell me a thing…" Baltheir laughs "the only thing I know about is…ah." -Light Bulb- "hmmm…well there is that…"

"What, my boy?" Professor Seamus presses "Tell me. Any little bit of knowledge or insight you may have about their mysterious race would be a great contribution. Our scientific journal is renown and famous for gathering rare information on species."

"Well I don't know." Said Balthier "I'm not sure the Viera _want_ anything to be known about their society. Why else would they stay so secretive about it?"

"Oh come now." Urges Seamus. "We only wish for insight and to have a better understanding of other cultures. Pursuit of knowledge for the better good. You know the mantra."

"Yes, yes I know." Says Balthier "But still, if I tell what I do know I'd never have a moments peace from other…enthusiasts."

"I can site you as an anonymous source, no one would have to know who you are. You know our sources confidences are always kept." Implored the Professor "The Society would pay you handsomely for any information you have about the Viera. It would be the first article of fact written about them since the Sage's Knowledge Guild wrote that short piece ages ago."

"Well I guess if our identities are kept secret…" contemplated Balthier

"Yes, yes. You have my word." The professor, excited

"And it _would_ be for the noble cause of spreading knowledge, wisdom and understanding." Said Balthier thoughtfully

"Yes, my boy. A noble cause indeed." Seamus getting more and more eger

"Well then." Balthier gave a sly smile and put his arm around Professor Seamus's shoulders "How much do you think your renowned scientific journal would pay for information about Viera Mating Rituals?"

* * *

A LOT that's how much. X3 

And thus Balthier got enough money to rice out his new airship and make the Strahl into one sweet ass ride XD

P.S. Fran didn't care about Bal telling the Professor about Viera Mating Rituals. She's rather indifferent about that sort of thing…plus Bal didn't tell him about anything too personal or intimate…only the facts from a strictly scientific perspective. Very Discovery Channel XD

Tell me what you think thus far…no point in continuing if no one's interested…


	3. Viera Mating Rituals: coming of age

**Mating Rituals of the Viera **

**Coming of Age**

Viera age by what they call Flauna Cycles. It is still rather ambiguous as to what exactly gauges a Flauna Cycle. All that can be deciphered is that it is connected with the changings of The Wood. Only the Viera seem to know exactly when a new Cycle has come about. The span of one Flauna Cycle is roughly about 5 Hume years. So with this equation we can conclude that even though a Viera is say, 100 years old in Hume years, by the Vieras eyes, she is only the equivalent of a Hume who is 20.

When a Viera is about 21 Cycles old she has reached a turning point in her life that is known to the Viera as "Come of Age." That is to say she has reached maturity and is ready to begin the long and extensive ritual that is mating in the Viera culture.

When a Viera Comes of Age it is also said that 'she has come into her full senses'. This means that all of her senses have become fully honed and are at the peak of their function. These senses are also heightened with the aid of the individual Viera's element. Each Viera is in tune with an element of nature, be it wind, water, the moon or sun. Her individual mating cycle is in tune with that elements cycle. Again, the exact flow of the cycle is known only by the Viera. When the element has reached the zenith of power within it's own cycle, the Viera's senses are heightened to their maximum efficacy. Also it is during this time, the Viera's mating instincts kick in and she has the sudden and abrupt urge to engage in intimate relations. The sensation and desire comes on abruptly and quickly and she must satisfy this urge or else go mad. The time during this period of heightened senses and frenzy is known as Fervent Passion and is time in which the Viera begins what is know as "The Coupling Hunt".

--_Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes: Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the __Arcadian_ _Academy__ of Knowledge and Wisdom. _

* * *

Next chapter...Balthier's first expreiance with 'Fervent Passion' X3 


	4. Relationships

**A short in site into the general relationship of Balthier and Fran**

_Timeline: about six months before Balthier had passed the information of Viera Mating rituals onto Professor Seamus _

Fran and Balthier had just finished setting up camp on the Phon Cost.

Earlier that day Balthier had found his Viera friend crouched in the corner of her bedroom shaking and clinging to herself.

When he had gone to her and touched her, she had jumped like he had shocked her.

"Fran what's wrong." Bathier had asked her, voice filled with worry

"It is this place." Fran had whispered in a shaky wispy voice. "The city and all its man made things. The cold dead stone of the buildings, the metal…"

Balthier had been confused "It never bothered you before…"

"It seems…" Fran breathed "That I've come into my senses at last…and also my element is coming to the peek of its cycle."

"What does that mean?" Balthier didn't understand and started to become panicked. He had never seen Fran that way before. He was worried, he wanted to help her, but what could he do?

"It is too much to explain. I need to get away from here quickly. Out of the city…" said Fran

"Ok, ok." Balthier nodded "We can go to the Phon Coast then. We can camp there, how's that? The moon will be full tonight. The white beaches and water will be a marvelous sight under the moon's glowing beams. You'd like that now won't you…you always love watching the full moon."

Fran nodded "That would be lovely." She had said, her voice nothing but a breathy whisper.

Balthier had asked if she could hold out for an hour while he made preparations.

"Yes that is fine. I would not go mad tonight." She had told him

Hearing her say that had pushed him to make the preparations in 30 minutes.

Now they were standing on the white sandy beach of the Phon Coast. Fran had gone to stand in the surf letting the pulsing waves wash over her feet. She was much calmer now. She was no longer shaking and as tense as a twig ready to snap. Balthier watched her and wondered if she was really going to be ok. He hoped whatever was wrong with Fran wasn't serious. Once they had cleared the city gates and gone into open air she had at least stopped trembling like a leaf in a windstorm, but there still had been a tension to her. The tension was gone now, but there was still something about Fran that didn't sit right with him and he couldn't quite finger what it was.

She had been away from The Wood a long time; lived in the Hume cities since before he had even been born. Why was it only affecting her now in this fashion? Balthier admitted that there had been times Fran had had a strong desire to be back among nature, but never this strong a desire. It had never been as bad as; if she didn't get away from the city she would go mad. Even though Fran seemed perfectly all right now, Balthier was not put at ease.

She had been with him since shortly before his Father had begun his declined into madness a few years back. She had become a close and dear friend to him. She was one of the only true friends he had. She wasn't his friend just to gain something, the only one that befriended him because she had truly gotten to know him and not just because he was a Bunansa, or because he was his Father's son and might be a connection to furthering a career. Fran had attended the ceremony when he had graduated from the Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom not only with honors but also as the youngest graduate in over a decade. That had meant the world to him. His own father had been too predisposed with his work to bother attending. Fran had even attended his Judgeship promotion ceremony as well; youngest to achieve Judgeship ever. The Emperor had been there, he had gotten to shake his hand and everything. His father had, again, been too busy to come. When Balthier talked to Fran about his sorrows she had listened. When he told her he wanted to rebel against his upbringing and change who he had been, she didn't try and talk him out of it, or tell him he was just a spoiled rich boy throwing a tantrum thinking of ways to anoy his parents.

"It's only natural to want to do things you think you should do as appose to things _others_ think you should do." She had told him. "What ever you decide to do, you only need to make that decision the right decision."

She hadn't said, "Make the right decision" she said "_make_ that decision the _right_ decision." So whatever he should decide to do, he should do everything he could to make whatever he chose to do the right choice for himself. Fran new Balthier better than his own father knew him, better than he knew himself. Although…

Balthier came to a realization there on the beach watching his closest and dearest companion as she let the ebb and flow of the tide beat against her. Fran knew practically everything there was to know about him, yet he knew next to nothing about her.

He knew she was Viera and that she had left her village against the laws of her people. She was, as they say, an outcast, unwelcome among her people. He knew that she had lived out in the world of man since before he was born. How long exactly, he knew not, nor her true age. Well, it _was_ rude to ask a lady her age, but still. Other than the obvious, he knew nothing outside of her base personality and little things that he had learned about her from basic interaction, basic interests like her fascination with mechanical things, part of the reason they started to become friends in the first place…But it was only these small simple things Balthier knew. The things she knew of him greatly out weighed what he knew of her. He had asked her questions about the Viera many times before and she would never tell him anything. It was as if speaking about who and what she was, was some great unbreakable taboo. What did Coming into her senses' mean anyway? Maybe now he would at last find out something. Though these were hardly the circumstances he wanted to satisfy his curiously with.

Balthier walked over by where Fran was standing. "Fran? Are you going to be alright?" he inquired

"Yes. Thank you." She answered, her voice clear and unwavering, unlike it had been only but an hour before. "The open air has done much to clear my head."

Balthier smiled. "I'm glad. You had me worried."

"I am sorry to have caused you anxiety." Fran said

Balthier began to open his mouth to ask about what had happened, but before he could say anything Fran turned and spoke.

"Shall we be off to gather wood for tonight's fire?" She said. "The sun will begin to set soon. The night sky will be perfectly clear; prefect for viewing the stars and the moon this night, but that fact also means it will be quite cold as well.

Balthier smiled a rather mischievous smile, his eyes filled with the hints of roguish intent that young men tend to get when their thoughts are anything but pure. "There are _other_ ways one can stay warm under a clear night sky basking in the glowing light of a full moon."

Balthier had never hid the fact that he liked Fran. Liked her in the way a man can like a woman. He had liked Fran in this fashion almost since the first moment he had met her. Balthier's advances on Fran had always been politely subtle and he was never blatantly vulgar or crass. After all, although Balthier _was_ every bit the horny teenage boy, just barely a man, as the next male of his age, his mother _had_ raised him with a decent amount of manners, courtesy and civility. Fran had neither discouraged his advances, nor had she done anything to encourage them. She always thanked him for the complements. But it seemed only a polite courtesy, as if to say "It is proper to say 'thank you' to people on such occasions." Following etiquette out of some book. Other times when he made subtle comments with underling hints of debauchery, as he had just done, she would respond to the comment literally as if she missed the underling hint. Her tone, however, would imply that she hadn't missed the underlining meaning at all, and the look in her eyes and slight smile said that she knew exactly what he was implying. But in spite of all that she would never hint that she had any interest in what he had been implying. And again, she never did anything to discourage him from implying anything else. He didn't know whether she was teasing him, or if she was simply oblivious to the notion of the Hume ways of flirting and courtship. In the end Balthier's courtship of Fran had become nothing more than a rather amusing game.

To Balthier's comment, Fran simply answered, "This is very true." And started to walk off down the beach.

Balthier grinned and shook his head before following after her.


	5. Mating Rituals of the Viera: Males

**Mating Rituals of the Viera **

**The Mystery of the Males **

Viera Males, contrary to past belief, do in fact exist. The reason that they have yet to be seen is because they are very well hidden and illusive, even to their female counterparts.

It is known that Viera tribes stay hidden not only from beings that live outside the Golmore Jungle, but from other Viera tribes as well. That is to say, the Viera are reclusive even amongst their own people. Viera Clans very rarely interact with other Viera clans. There has never been record of the Clans fighting or having any sort of dispute. If one Viera should meet someone of a different clan, they only give each other enough acknowledgement to be polite and carry on with their original business. It is safe to say that the Viera have a rather indifferent attitude towards other beings that may cross their path.

With this knowledge it is not surprising to find that the Male Viera Clans live separate from Female Viera Clans. The Male villages are hidden in the same fashion as the Female villages. Another thing that makes the Males so elusive is the fact that the color of Male Viera's skin is black, not the dark brown of the Females, but black in the way as the night sky is black. And also unlike the Females, The Male Viera all have dark hair. With this as their appearance, it is very easy for Male Viera to blend into the dark shadows of the Golmore, and anyone that may have caught a glimpse of one could very easily pass it off as nothing but a trick of shadows. Also, it has been explained that no Male Viera has been seen outside the Golmore Jungle, because, unlike the Females, none have ventured out. According to B.B.'s Viera source, The Male Viera are extremely sensitive to the environment. They are weak against bright light and they can not breathe the air other than the pure air of the Jungle. Because of this a male could not venture outside the jungle even if he wanted to. Long ago this was once the case with the female Viera as well. It is unknown, even to the Viera why the Females have evolved to withstand elements outside of the Golmore and the males have not.

The only interaction the males and females have with each other is during the Coupling Hunt, and it is only during this time the Females are able to find the Male. Once the Viera Female comes to the height of Fervent Passion, she thus begins her hunt.

As mentioned before, each Viera is in tune with an element of nature, and her individual mating cycle is in tune with that elements cycle. She gains energy from that element and when the element has reached the peak of power the Viera's senses are also heightened to the peak of efficacy. Thus this is the most opportune time to seek out a Male.

--_Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes: Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the _ _Arcadian_ _Academy__ of Knowledge and Wisdom. _


	6. Interests

**Further in sites of Balthier's interests in Fran**

Night had fallen, the Moon bright, full and high in the sky and an increasingly troubled Balthier sat by the campfire. Fran had gone to collect more firewood ages ago and he was starting to wonder what was keeping her. Perhaps some fiend gave her some trouble. The Beasts and Fiends in this area were mean viciously horrid creatures. Balthier stood and went to seek out his wayward companion.

It didn't take long for him to spot her. She was down the beach a ways, just out of the sight of their camp. She stood on the edge of the sea, the waves washing up just short of her feet. She was staring up at the moon, mesmerized. Balthier's anxiety washed away. He had seen Fran this way before. During full moons he would often find Fran this way, entranced, basking in the soft light. She would stay like that for an hour or so then something would seem to snap her out of it and she would continue on as if nothing happened. He stood back and watched the Viera who looked stunning bathed in moonlight.

As he watched Balthier noticed Fran starting to sway, slightly at first then more and more evident. She swayed in time with the gently pulsing tide.

"This is something new." Balthier thought to himself and continued his observation. He admitted to himself long ago that a healthy portion of his interest in Fran was a bit scientific in nature. No mater how much he fought it, he was his father's son. Also being Arcadian and a student of the Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom, he had had the Scientific Method engraved into his brain ever since he'd been able to speak. With both genetics and society against him, he was a scientist to the very core of his being, whether he liked it or not. Balthier observed Fran, studied her, noting the change of behavior, filing it away in the unconscious case study part of his brain he had developed long ago. The information kept he filed there was not only about Fran. Balthier studied people in general, behaviors, emotions, psychology and such. One of his favorite classes at the Academy had been Anthropology and he had developed a rather close academic relationship with Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes, his Natural History professor and head of the Anthropology department at the Academy. Also at a rather early age, Balthier found that the information he acquired during his studies of people, made it very easy for him to get what he wanted out of them. That is to say, manipulate them. Yes manipulation was the weapon of choice when surviving and navigation the treacherous waters of Arcadian high society. When Balthier and Fran first met, he began filling mental observations about her, out of habit mainly, for he did it with everyone he knew.

But Fran was different, Balthier soon found out. He knew right off she was of no real use to him, socially, politically, or other wise like is other "friends". But within few short days after meting her he found himself fascinated by her and wanted to get to know her. She was different than anyone else he knew, in more ways that just her race. Well, the things that made her different were surely contributed to the fact of her race and culture…but still, Fran's overall personality and manner fascinated Balthier. He found that she still had a bit of a problem adjusting to life outside the Wood. Even though she had lived among the Humes and the various other races of Evalice since before he was born. There were still many things Fran still did not comprehend or understand. Balthier had pointed the irony of this to her once and she had responded:

"Well of course, you have been you in this society all of your life. I had been me in a different society before I had to me in this new society, and for much longer. Change comes slowly to us for we have the time to be slow about these things. Everything outside the Wood moves so fast, I have spent the majority of my time outside conditioning myself to move at this worlds pace. I have only just recently begun to try and comprehend the beings of this strange new world…"

When she put it that way, Balthier had become more sympathetic to Fran's situation. It was true. She had lived among the Viera, growing up with Viera culture far longer than she had been outside the Wood. It's not easy to change and adjusts decades worth of habits and mannerisms.

Balthier's fascination with Fran grew and he very much wanted to be friends with her, real friends, and not just to have her as an acquaintance or connection to use and be used by. They shared common interests and views. They had real conversations of depth and meaning. He greatly enjoyed her company and was happy just being around her. Balthier stood on the white sandy beach of the Phon Coast watching his Viera companion and smiled. She was beauitful. That was easy for him to admit. And he couldn't deny that he was atracted to her in the way a man could be atracted to a woman. He watched her swaying in the moonlight in awe of her beauty.

Fran began to raise her arms as she swayed. She raised her arms as if she were worshiping the moon, exalting praise. And then her movement became more than just swaying. Fran's arms, hands, fingers began to move as if they had a life of their own, weaving their way thorough the air. Her hips rocked and swayed to some a silent beat. The dance was utterly hypnotic, so fluid and pulsating. And then Fran began to glow. Not brightly but a soft glow as if the moonlight itself had been absorbed by her skin.

Suddenly the movement stopped and a tension Balthier hadn't noticed building broke. Slowly he let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Fran seemed to have heard the exhaled breath for she abruptly turned her head in his direction. Fran's sudden movement startled him a bit. Balthier stood still as if he were a rabbit hoping that if it didn't move the hungry fox wouldn't see it. Fran turned slowly and faced Balthier. She spotted him and a smile split a cross her face; however it was a smile that made Balthier strangely uncomfortable, for if a fox could smile, surely this would be the one would it have when he spotted the hiding rabbit.

* * *

Gah, this has turned into one of my stories that ends up longer that I thought it would be...Like my fic were Sanji and Nami get married that I thought would only be like 5 chapters and it ended up being 11...I get so lost in delevopment and discover new detalis to add as I go... and I'm trying to say ture to the orginal charaterization... but I'm really not sure if the story is getting better or just longer -.- 

Fran and Balthier's relationship is much more deep and complex I've found.

I've started playing the game over to try and pick up on some new things...talking to the people in Rabanaster looking for Balthier when Basch wants you to take him at the begining help cause most of the people are talking about Balthier and Fran. one intresting comment when you talk to one of Vaan's frends was "I bumped into a Viera a while ago, and not in a good way...the Viera just walked by like nothing happened, but the guy she was with didn't like it one bit." XD interesting. thus I've determid that though in the game it's left up to the players imagination wether or not Balthier and Fran are and "Item"...the makers drop small hints implying they are atleast more than just partners...

I promise the next chapter after the "scientific journal page" will have some action ;3


	7. Viera Mating Rituals: Selection

**Mating Rituals of the Viera**  
**Selection, Invocation and the Coupling Hunt**

Once a Viera comes into her senses and Fervent Passion sets in during the day of her cycle's peak she is ready to engage in the Coupling Hunt.

The first time a Viera "Hunts", her "prey" is usually a male who has an elemental alignment that is the opposite of hers. That is to say one who's cycle is not at its peak. The female with her senses heightened with aid from her element being at its apex can easily find a Male whose senses are not heightened. Other criteria for a suitable choice of eligible males are those that have not been marked by other Female. This is not so much out of etiquette, but mainly because once the Female has put her mark on the before unmarked male, she will have an easier time hunting him down the next time. And also those that are not in the company of other males are easier targets as well. It is easy to say that Viera mating is extremely unique and unlike any other race or species in Ivalice. Also, it seems as though the whole of Viera Mating is centered on accessibility and necessity and not so much around emotion or attraction as is the case with Humes and other races of Ivalice.

However, as a side note, BB's Viera colleague had an interesting observation. The Coupling selection for "Outer Viera", Viera that have left the Wood, has had to adapt greatly from the selection process described previously. Being that all maters of sexual relations, courtship and relationships among Humes and other races are somewhat more complex than that of the Viera, "Outer Viera" have had to be more careful and selective about their potential Coupling partners than "Wooded Viera", the Viera have chosen to remain confined to the Jungle. It said that it has been advised that an Outer Viera should begin searching for a Coupling partner at least one Flauna Cycle before she comes of age, and that she choose someone that she deeply trusts and would not mind a long attachment to, especially when choosing among Humes, since, according to the Viera perspective, Humes can become quite attached and possessive once the two have engaged in sexual relations. Thus the selection of a Coupling partner by an Outer Viera is based more on emotion and sentiment than simply accessibility.

In any case once a section has been made, the Viera must be ready for the moment her element entrances her, that is to say, the peak of the elemental cycle and the point the element has the most power. That power calls to any and all Viera that has an alignment with it. When the element calls to a Viera, she becomes spellbound and deeply entranced by it. This also happens before a Viera comes of age as well, but it only once she had come of age that she can invoke the elements power. Once entranced, the Viera will do a small sacrament to call upon her elements power. This is usually in the form of a dance and each dance is unique and greatly varies from Viera to Viera. After she has evoked the power offered to her by her element, the female Viera is finally ready to hunt.

In her condition, with her senses at her peak and full of energy offered by her element, the Viera is in a status effect very much like Berserk, only instead of being overwhelmed by Blood Lust, she is overwhelmed by, well, Lust, and has the uncontrollable urge to engage in sexual relations. She thus goes out to seek the male that would give her satisfaction from the hot burning and aching desire that has besieged her. Almost all rational thought is pushed aside and the Viera is left with only the basic primal animalistic mental capacity. Even her ability to communicate is inhibited. She will stay in this status until the effects of evoking her elements power has worn off.

--_Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes: Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the Arcadian_ _Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom._


	8. Expeirances

**In which Balthier experiences Viera Mating Rituals first hand**

(Yes finally XD)

Warning: Language and Adult Situations

-----

The look that Fran gave Balthier invoked a profound sense of fear from deep within him. There was a mystifying aura about her and she cast an air that hinted a threat of danger. The look Balthier saw in Fran's eyes was a look hunger; the hunger of a fierce beast that has not eaten in a great while.

When the Viera started stalking slowly towards Balthier, he unconsciously took a step back. Balthier's heart started pounding as if it were trying to escape from his chest. Fran walk towards him with slow gracefully calculated strides. Balthier might have appreciated the beautiful and elegant way she moved if he hadn't felt like he was being stalked like a damned happy bunny.

Balthier stood perfectly still as Fran approached him. When her hand reached out to bush his shoulder Balthier jumped a bit. The flinch brought an impish smile to the Viera's lips. Fran's hand trialed lightly across Balthier's chest and she moved to come around behind him. Her other hand came around and brushed his cheek and traced the line of his jaw.

Balthier felt Fran's cheek rub against the back of his shoulders and neck. He felt her as she deeply inhaled the sent of his flesh. He felt her hot breath on his skin as she exhaled and noticed a purr like roll to the breath.

"Fran?" Balthier's trembling breath whispered "What on Earth is going on with you?"

But Fran did not answer.

Balthier drew in a breath as Fran's hot wet tongue flick out to taste his skin. Her mouth closed around the ever quickening pulse in Balthier's neck as her tongue sought to taste this soft flesh as well.

This all might have been very erotic for Balthier if not for the fact he feared his throat was about be torn out.

"Fran?" his whisper nearly inaudible.

Balthier felt one of Fran's long fingers press against his neck just under his jaw back by his ear, and then suddenly she made a quick movement pulling her hand away. Balthier felt a sharp pain where Fran's finger had been pressed. Shocked he pulled away. His hand reached up to touch where Fran had scratched him and felt wetness. He looked at his fingers and saw that he was bleeding. Balthier turned to look at Fran, seeing her licking his blood off her own fingers. His eyes went wide.

Fran spoke, but the single world she uttered was hardly understandable with the growling purr that shrouded it. "_Run_."

…

Balthier ran.

He ran flat out, and his mind was racing even faster than his legs, trying to comprehend the thought of himself fleeing from the closest friend he'd ever had. The notation made absolutely no sense.

Balthier cleared the zone lines they had set up around their camp to keep the fiends away. He turned and quickly strengthened them and set up a barrier, knowing well and good the effort was futile. It might slow Fran down a bit but wouldn't stop her. She had decades more experience in magicks than he, maybe even centuries for all he knew since no one really knew exactly how long Viera lived.

After Balthier made is meager futile attempt at a barrier he paced frantically about the camp, trying to think, trying to reason things out logically. "This is madness." he thought out loud. "Insane! Viera don't just attack people for no reason. There must be a logical reason. Fran has been acting strangely all day."

Balthier's mind went back to moments ago seeing Fran with that crazed look in her eyes, like that of a wild untamed beast that's been caged for a very long time. It was if that beast had finally been unleashed, and it was hungry. Very, very hungry.

"But what is she hungry for?" Balthier wondered. "Viera don't just attack people and Fran would never hurt me…" The pain in Balthier's neck where Fran had scratched him flared as if to remind him. "Well she wouldn't hurt me _badly_…" Balthier thought but then reconsidered... He didn't know that for sure either. She seemed to be in some state of Berserk… only he didn't sense any Bloodlust like one usually sensed around beings in the Berserk status…. "Well she won't _kill_ me." Balthier determined. "It didn't seem like she wanted to kill me…so there must be something else… something that has to do with being Viera. Gha! Damn it all to Hell! If only there where more information about Viera! Fran never tells me a damn bloody thing!"

Balthier didn't have anymore time to think. The loud sound like electricity surging let him know that Fran was at the barrier trying to get through.

Balthier instinctively grabbed for his gun. However, once he had a hold of it, he paused.

"What the hell am I going to do with this?" He thought "I'm not seriously considering shooting her…am I?

Balthier had no time to be torn, the barrier surged once more and dissolved. Fran was on him in an instant. Balthier hardly saw her coming. He was on his back in a blink, wind knocked out of him, weapon skittering off out of reach.

Fran had him pinned. She buried her face in his neck below were scratched him and deeply inhaled the sent of his flesh and blood. As she exhaled, there was the same purr like roll to her breath Balthier had heard before. Fran's panting had a soft growling purr to it like that of a large cat. She was all over him, hands roaming his upper body as if they had minds of their own.

It took a second or two for Balthier to register Fran wasn't hurting him. There was not pain, only the subtle sensation of Fran touching and caressing his body as if she needed to touch him as much as she needed to breathe. Once Balthier figured Fran wasn't going to eat him, feeling quite silly indeed for thinking so in the first place, he calmed down a bit and worked to get his mind thinking rationally once again.

"Well she's not tearing me apart." Balthier thought out loud. "That's a plus…Time to get to bottom of this. Fran."

Balthier tried to get the Viera's attention but she seemed to be quite preoccupied rubbing herself all over him.

Balthier had experience with being ignored from when he first entered the Military Akademy on his track to becoming a Judge. He gained little respect and regard from the other cadets because they took him for pencil neck scholar who was a pampered spoiled rich boy that only got into the Akademy because his daddy was buddies with the Emperor's son. He had often been ignored when he had had some thing to say. Thus he learned how to make himself heard.

"Fran!" His voice not shouting but firm, commanding and resounded into the night.

Fran stopped cold and her head shot up abruptly.

"Fran darling can you _please_ tell me…" Balthier's words stop as Fran sat up and he noticed something was amiss. "Fran! What on _Earth_ has become of your clothing?"

Fran didn't answer him; she only stared at him with that same hungry look in her eyes. Though, Balthier took note that the look was not quite as intense as it was before.

Fran slowly lowered herself brining her face close to his. Close enough to kiss him, but she didn't. She instead turned her head to rub her cheek against his, her purring breath rolling in his ear. Her head then moved to nuzzle his neck.

"What is this?" the confused Arcadian asked "Some Viera idea of courtship?"

Fran moved her head down to rub her cheek against Balthier's chest, nestling her head there, she looked up at Balthier with hungry, lust filled eyes.

"It is isn't it!" exclaimed an exasperated Balthier when it finally all clicked "That's what this whole crazy ordeal has been about?!" It was all very clear to him now and he cursed himself for not picking up on it earlier. He also cursed the fact that Fran hadn't given him so much of a warning something like this was coming over her.

"Oh Bloody fucking Hell!" Balthier swore out loud "Dear sweet mother, may your soul rest in peace, forgiving me for swearing in the presence of a lady, I know you taught me better, but Gods help me this woman drives me absolutely mad and at the moment she is acting like no lady I've ever met."

Fran gave a grinning throaty laugh.

"It's _not_ funny." Said Balthier in a scolding tone, "I'm sure you're amused to no end but I sure as hell am not."

Fran of course paid no attention to Balthier's grievances and proceeded to continue rubbing, caressing and fondling her way over Balthier's body.

Balthier smiled slightly, knowing there was no use in getting angry at Fran now. "Well, maybe a little bit amused…But damn it woman! If you wanted to fuck you should have just said so out right."

Fran decided to take that moment to rip Balthier's shirt open. She looked down at his now exposed chest with an excited look, like a child that had gotten exactly what she wanted for her birthday.

"Well there is that too..." Balthier commented.

Fran proceeded to rub her cheek over the now bear flesh with great enthusiasm.

"I'll have you know I rather liked that shirt." Balthier said becoming more amused by the moment at Fran's actions. He was use to seeing her so calm and reserved. It was interesting seeing her like this. "When we get back to the city, you're buying me a new on—Hah--!"

Balthier's words were cut off by the sensation of Fran's hot wet tongue running over one of his nipples.

Balthier closes his eyes, riding the pleasurable sensations. Forgetting that only moments ago he had been frightened half to death and terrified at the thought of being torn to shreds by this same woman.

His mind began drifting. How many times had he dreamed of something like this with Fran secretly within the depths of his consciousness? True he actively and openly flirted with Fran constantly, but he now realized that he had given up seeing anything come of it. True though she never did anything to discourage him from his advances, he had taken her lack of encouragement as a sign she wasn't interested in him in that way. He could respect that, but still, it was fun to flirt and his courtship of her just became an amusing form of entertainment for him. What did this all mean? Was this just some kind of wild instinct and she would have jumped the first man she had come across or did she have a general interest in him? Perhaps he had misread her unresponsiveness and it wasn't lack of interest, but lack of knowledge. Perhaps Fran simply didn't yet know how to flirt the way Humes did.

Fran closed her mouth around the small hardened nub and sucked gently while continuing to run her tongue over it. Balthier began finding it very hard to think straight as Fran's caressing started to become more and more eager and anxious. He let out a moan as his hands go up to bury themselves in Fran's wild mass of long thick hair. He was amazed at how soft it was, like strands of pure silk between his fingers. Balthier cracked his eyes open slightly. Fran's silver hair was shimmering in the light of the full moon and her whole body took on a soft glow. Balthier's thoughts returned to earlier when he had seen Fran all a glow on the edge of the sea after that entrancing dance. She had been so beautiful. So incredibly stunning…

Balthier was wrenched out of his side thoughts by a subtle sharp pain. His eyes shot completely open as a gasping cry escaped his lips. She'd bit him. However, the pain was quickly soothed over with a soft caress of lips and tongue.

Fran's eager caressing movements became more frantic as she moved over Balthier's body. Her nails raked over Balthier's chest and he drew in a breath as shallow scrape marks trailed in their wake. The scratches weren't as deep as the one she had made in his neck, but enough to break the first layer of skin leaving visible marks. This cleared Balthier's head of the lustful fog that began swirling within. Balthier was all for a bit of rough sex, but he wasn't one that greatly enjoyed pain with his pleasure.

He opened his mouth to express this to Fran but quickly swallowed his words as she abruptly moved on to lower things. The Viera who was wild with lust, quite purposely rubbed her cheek over Balthier's groin, drawing a shuddering gasp from his lips. Balthier's pants suddenly became extremely tight.

"You're not wasting any time now are you?" he breathed

Fran, excited by Balthier's reaction, sat up and dug her claw like hands into the Arcadian's pants, ready to tear them a way in the same fashion she had done with his shirt.

"Whoa! Now just wait a bloody second! " Balthier's hands quickly went up and firmly grasped the Viera's wrists. "I'll have you know that's a very delicate area you're about claw into!"

Fran's head shot up giving Balthier malicious glaring eyes. She had not liked Balthier stopping her from getting what she so desperately wanted. The glare might have frightened him before, but now that he knew what she was after and that she indeed wouldn't hurt him significantly, he was no longer afraid of her. Though the glare hinted danger Balthier now knew Fran's bark was worse than her bite.

"Oh…" Balthier laughed cynically "You've got some nerve giving me eyes like that. I don't deserve those eyes, not after what you put me through today."

Fran did not like Balthier's defiant tone. Her lips curled back bearing her white gleaming teeth and a threatening growl rolled up from the depths of her throat.

Balthier's eyes went wide with shocked amusement "Did you just growl at me?"

Balthier chuckled deeply "Oh you _do_ have some nerve woman." He moved to break away from Fran's grip.

Fran didn't like him trying to get away and grabbed Balthier's thighs digging her nails in.

"Ow!" Balthier shouted at the pain. "That bloody hurts! Ok, this has stopped being amusing and is rapidly beginning to annoy me. I do have a high threshold for pain but if it's all the same to you, I try to avoid it when at all possible. I am not one that enjoys torture, recreational or other wise."

Balthier threw Fran's hands off of him and quickly rolled out from under her. Fran grabbed for him again but he dodged her and scrambled to his feet. The wild frenzied Viera sprang at Balthier, but he was ready for her this time. He rolled backwards bring his feet up and used her momentum to send her flying over him. She landed hard on her back, winded knocked out of her. When Fran got her wits about her she found that she hand a very difficult time trying to move. She glared up at the Hume male grinning down at her in a rather maliciously mischievous way.

"Ha-HAA! Now who's king of the mountain eh?" Balthier smiled in a boasting eat-your-heart-out tone. "Not so much fun when the tables are turned now is it?"

Balthier had Fran completely pinned with death grips on her writs and his strong legs holding her hips like a vice.

Fran gave a throaty cry of frustration and started to thrash about. But no mater how much she struggled, Fran couldn't throw Balthier off her and regain control. She might have been in a wild, animal like state, but he still out weighed her by a few hundred pounds of pure muscle.

Balthier had been bullied as a child, as were many of his fellow peers who attended the "_Academy of Dorks_" as those who took pleasure from tormenting the meek liked to so colorfully refer to the Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom. Well he _had_ been bullied. That is until he was about ten and made friends with Banga Ex-Brawler named Axle, formally of Balfonhiem, who worked at the Moogle Mechanics Guild doing heavy lifting and such. Axle had taught Balthier a thing or two about fighting and defending ones self. The skills came in handy later when he entered the Military Akademy as well, fending off every brutish oaf that felt the need to pick a fight with him.

Balthier took little effort holding down the frantic Viera, but became worried about the nearly hysterical and desperate way she was struggling. If she wasn't careful she'd hurt herself. "Now there's no need to throw a tantrum, really. We are not a five year old. Stop it now or you'll hurt yourself.

But Fran wasn't listening and continued to thrash about.

Balthier sighed heavily growing very impatient. Balthier invoked his stern authoritve tone that commanded obedience. "Now I've had just about all I can take from you today. You certainly don't seem like the type who enjoys being tied up, but so help me woman, if it comes to that I _will_ restrain you. Now CALM DOWN!"

The tone shocked Fran and she instantly stopped struggling. Balthier had never raised his voice to her in such a way before and it frightened her a bit. There was still a fierce look in the eyes that stared up at the man hovering over her, but they were now tinted with caution and fear.

Balthier picked up on Fran's newly invoked fear of him and it broke his heart. It was the first time he had to take that kind of tone with a woman and he didn't like it one bit. The only way he could possibly feel any worse would be if he had struck her, and that, was one thing Balthier could never bring himself to do. Never, under any circumstances, could Balthier strike a woman. It went against everything he believed in. He didn't like the thought of any woman, most of all Fran, fearing him in anyway.

"Oh now don't go looking at me like that." Balthier softened his tone a bit. "I'm sorry I raised my voice, but you really gave me little choice. It's your own fault you know. I'm all for women taking initiative but there is such a thing as going to far. A man still likes a bit of control. Sorry, but if you want someone more a bit more submissive you're going to have to find someone else."

Balthier sighed and gave Fran a soft, warm smile letting her know he wasn't really angry with her and the underlining fear she had melted a way. That made him feel much better.

"Besides," Balthier continued, "you need not be so demanding to get what you want from me. I would not deny you anything you would want of me, especially something like this, which is so easy for me to give. I would give you anything within my power, you only need but to ask."

Fran opened her mouth to try and speak but all that came out was a sort of gasping moan like grunt.

"I'll take that as a 'please'" grinned Balthier, "Now then. Are you going to behave yourself?" Balthier asked

The deviously malicious grin that split across Fran's face told him that she wasn't making any promises.

Balthier laughed "So that's how it's going to be then?" Balthier goes to undo his belt. With a quick movement was off and resounded with a loud snap that made Fran jump. Though not with fear but excitement, laughing a wide grin.

"Fuck it." Smiles Balthier mischievously. "If you want it so bloody badly then who am I to deny you? But I must warn you my dear, I'm not going to hold back."

Fran's impish grin told Balthier that that suited her just fine.

* * *

And thus intense hot wild smexing in sued. Lots of it. Oh yes indeed. X3

I'll leave details up to your imaginations.

Sorry this chapter took so long…there was just soooo many different ways it could go, it was hard choosing which direction to take things.

I hope it was satisfactory for you and met your expectations. If not, sorry…

So…ya. We've gotten over the climax. Yay climax. The next part talks more about what the Viera Mating Ritual is all about and Fran and Bal's relationship as it changes and goes to the next level

They may take awhile for me to do tho, I wanna work some on the other fics I've been neglecting ;


	9. Viera Mating Rituals: back to ones self

**Mating Rituals of the Viera **

**Coming back to ones self**

After the Coupling Hunt has been completed and the Viera has captured her desired mate having thus indulged her craving, she can now return to a normal rational state of mind. However it may take her a while to completely regain the reserved composure that is characteristic of the Viera race, that is to say, she may seem a bit more emotional that she was before the hunt began. This especially more evident if it is the Viera's first coupling. The whole ordeal can be quite overwhelming for a Viera that has never before felt the rush of such engery her element lends or the sensations caused by having her already keen senses even more heightened.

Also afterwards the Viera can feel a bit disoriented, namely for the reason her memory of the previous nights events are a bit of a jumbled blur in her mind. She may not remember her actions or any visual images at all, but it is said that she remembers the feelings and sensations she expreianced as well as the emotions felt from her chosen mate. Thus you might understand the state of confusion she may be in.

With time, the experience won't be as overwhelming for her as she grows more familiar with the sensations but, in the beginning it can be quite disorientating and she can feel quite vulnerable being in such a state.

* * *

An emotional and vulnerable Fran….Hmmm, how would that go I wonder? X3

Short little blurp...the next chapter is gonna be way longer, promise...I just started on it and it's already long so...ya


	10. The Morning After

**The Morning After **

**Warning**: Adult situations, drama, slight angst, and so much sap your gonna need a whole stack of pancakes to go with it

Ooh! And smut, just a hint of smut…man it's really hard for me to keep this fic TI'm tempted just to write a separate smut chapter just to get it out of my system .  
Anyways…I promised you a long chapter so here you go

* * *

Balthier woke at around 9 in the morning. If he didn't have to wake up early, his internal clock always woke him up around that time in spite of when he may have gotten to sleep. It had been a rather long night. He wasn't really sure what time they had finally exhausted themselves, but it surely had to have been some time during the wee hours of the morning. He would have opted to laze about for another hour or so but this morning his body wouldn't let him sleep in past 9:30. He was aching all over, muscles he didn't even know he had were throbbing with a dull soreness. Not extremely painful, but just enough to be annoyingly uncomfortable. Thus he started to raise for the morning beginning with carefully unwrapping the sleeping Viera who was so snugly cuddled around him.

After freeing himself from the long limbs that had been coiled around him, Balthier took a moment take in the sight of the sleeping Fran…hair all disheveled, sleep crusties in the corner of her eyes and a path of dried slobber running down her cheek. He looked at the woman he had come to idolize as a goddess and quietly chuckled to himself, thinking she was completely and utterly adorable. Seeing her less than immaculate did nothing to tarnish his image of her in the least. If anything it heightened his image of her. She was still the same beautiful woman he had taken a fancy to a little over three years ago, but now she seemed more…real.

The young Arcadian leaned in and placed a soft and ever so gentle kiss on the slumbering Viera's forehead before pulling away from her warmth with great reluctance.

"Now then." Sighed Balthier sitting up. "Where in bloody hell did my pants run off too?"

…

After reclaiming his astray pants and tucking a blanket around Fran, Balthier turned his attention to making breakfast. Balthier was in charge of all of the cooking duties. Fran was a brilliant mechanic, but a very lousy cook. She couldn't make toast to save her life. Balthier didn't mind, he enjoyed cooking and was rather good at it. It was it was a skill his mother felt a young man should have and taught him from a very young age.

---

"Honestly the men in this country, half of them scientists; They can use a beaker and a Bunsen burner but try and get them to cook something and it's like quantum physics to a five year old." She told him as she helped him carefully break an egg over a mixing bowl. "Well surly my son will not be one of those men. Not if I can help it. A man should know how to properly feed himself. Isn't that right dear?"

"Indeed." His father agreed "If I hadn't learned to cook I would have died of starvation ages ago. A very useful skill worth learning, cooking."

Dr. Cid looked down at his son and smiled a rather mischievous smile. "Plus my son, it's an excellent way to draw the fancy of many beautiful women." his father winked, "How do you think I won your mother over? Gods know it wasn't my dashing good looks."

His mother laughed "Oh stop. I think you're quite dashing dear."

"Ha ha." His father laughed "Now who's the one that needs glasses?"

---

Balthier shook his head, taking the once happy memory and shoved it back behind the locked door deep within his mind and turned his attention back to preparing breakfast.

It wasn't long before Fran's keen nose picked up on the aroma of Balthier's morning cuisine. Balthier turned his head at the sound of her sleepy sighs.

"Morning." He smiled cheerfully

Fran pulled the blanket up around her as she sleepily uttered an inarticulate moan that sounded something like a morning greeting. As was her usual morning salutation. In spite last night's events, Fran never had been what one would call a morning person.

"Breakfast will be finished soon." Balthier turning his attention back to cooking. "Tea?"

"Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you." Fran's voice a drowsy whisper

Balthier poured Fran a cup of tea, made very strong using two tea bags, adding cream and one sugar, just the way she liked it and got up to take it to her.

"Thank you." She nodded

Balthier's mind was buzzing. He was itching to ask her about the previous night. But he didn't push it. Besides, he knew Fran would need at least one more cup of tea before she would be more coherent, maybe even two.

The air over breakfast was rather awkward. Balthier had made Fran's favorite but she only stared at her plate not taking a bite of anything.

"Not hungry?" Balthier asked

"No I suppose not…" Fran said quietly. She set the plate aside and sipped her tea.

It was already her forth cup of tea and she still hadn't perked up.

The silence grew and was killing him. Balthier had to say something. He knew his choice topic was probably not the best, but they had to talk about it some time. "Um…about last night…"

"I'm sorry." Fran said suddenly hanging her head, hair falling across her face.

"Eh?" Balthier confused

"I must have been like an animal…I'm sorry you had to see me like that…the things I must have done…I would not have had control of myself…"

"Then… you don't remember?" asked Balthier "You don't know what happened? What we did?"

"I know what we did…I know what happened…well the basic idea of what happened…we have it too. Oh, what do you Humes call it? "The Talk" "The Birds and the Bees". The elders talk to us about what happens to a Viera once she Comes of Age."

"Ah, I see." Says Balthier. "What exactly do the tell you?"

"They tell us once our element entrances us and we have invoked its power we will enter a wild, animal like state and… for lack of a better term "hunt" our chosen mates and initiate intercourse with them."

" Chosen mates?"

"Yes. Because we will be in a state of wildness, our actions will be taken over by that state and so, at least one cycle before we come of age we must find a male and stalk him, fixate on him…so that once the Fervent Passion sets in we are at least be absorbed with the task to find him. It keeps us focused, so we do not run rampant and hurt others that may cross our paths."

"I see…so you choose me to fixate on." Balthier couldn't help but feel a bit happy.

Fran nodded.

"So you're in this animal like state and from then on you act on instinct… you can't fight it, or control it?"

Fran shakes her head. "It comes over us so fast we do not have time to fight it."

"And you don't remember anything? Not a thing?"

"Well, the images of the actual event are all one big blur…the only thing we remember…all I can remember are all of the sensations I felt. Our senses are heightened once we invoke our element; the sensations are the most profound thing we feel so we remember them very vividly."

"Ah, well that's something…" Balthier was curious; he knew it wasn't the time for him to go acting like a …well... like a _guy_…but he really wanted to know, well, how he mesuered up. But how to ask…

"So, um…how were these "sensations"? I mean, does it hurt? When you invoke your element or whatever? Were you in pain at all? Or was it all a kind of…pleasant feeling? I mean, you're ok right? I would hate for you to have been in any pain…"

"No, there was hardly any pain aside from a dull aching in my loins…" Fran's head dropped lower and she sounded rather embarrassed and ashamed.

"Oh that's nothing to be embarrassed about." Balthier reassured her. "Everyone has that. Perfectly natural…"

"Overall I felt…" Fran started again "Well…to be perfectly honest…"

Fran's head shot up and the look on her face greatly surprised Balthier.

She looked extremely distressed and her eyes were glassy as if she were on the verge of tears.

"To be perfectly honest…I've never felt anything so incredibly amazing." She burst out in a rather distraught tone. "Words can not describe how wonderfully magnificent my body felt!"

Balthier blinked rapidly a few times. "So the overall experience was…good?"

"Yes." Fran whimpered

"Then why do you seem so upset?" Balthier worried, "Is there something I can do to make you feel better?"

"Oh why are being so nice?" Fran moaned distraughtly

"Um…do you not want me to be?" asked the very confused young man.

"I hunted you like an animal!" exclaimed Fran "You can't tell be you enjoyed that."

"Ah, well, Yes…I did find that a bit strange..." Balthier nodded "I admit you had me a bit scared there for a moment, but once I realized you weren't going to eat me it was actually quite amusing when I looked back on it… Plus it's an instinctual thing right. You couldn't help yourself."

"Oh, how can you be so bloody sympathetic and understanding?!" exclaimed the growingly hysterical Viera.

"Um…sorry…I guess it's just the way I am…Though people usually see it as one of my good traits…" Balthier was now 10x more confused that when this whole conversation first started.

"I caused you great pain. Just look at you! You have my scratch marks all over your body."

Balthier laughed "Oh that's nothing. I've suffered worse pain under far less favorable circumstances. I never quite understood people that get off on pain during sex…to each his own and all, but just couldn't see it. I mean true pain isn't pleasant and the instances which cause pain are not favorable, but you know... during sex in the heat of the moment, I found a bit of pain does seem to add a bit of spice to things…"

"What?!" Fran shocked an appalled

"No really. During sex you're feeling all kinds of sensations, the pain is just one more thing so you don't even really even take much notice… and then when the endorphins kick in you get this amazing head rush along with everything else… the whole thing was quite amazing actually…"

Balthier noticed Fran's aghast look

"What?! It's not like I've become a full fledged card carrying masochist you know… and there's no way in hell I'm ever going to let you or anyone tie me up…I'm just saying a few…" Balthier look over the claw marks Fran had inflicted. "Dozen scratch marks aren't all that bad."

"But you were angry! I tried to force myself on you! I know among Humes that is a great offence."

"What?! Are you accusing your self of trying to _rape_ me?"

Fran hung her head in shame. "How can you not hate me?"

Balthier burst out laughing "Because you can't rape the willing love. And I wasn't angry…"

"You don't have to keep lying to me to spare my feelings!!!" Fran suddenly burst out angrily cutting Balthier off.

Balthier was taken a back by her out burst. "I- I'm not lying…"

"Yes you are!" the distraught Viera snapped accusingly "I _distinctly_ felt your anger. It was very profound."

"Well you must have misunderstood, I wasn't angry…" Said Balthier defensively.

"STOP LYING TO ME!" Fran shrieked

"I'm not lying!" Balthier getting flustered

"Yes you are! You _were_ angry with me! And you're angry with me right now."

"Oh for heavens sakes! I'm not angry with you!"

"Then why are you yelling at me?!"

"Because!" Balthier stopped and took a deep breath in an effort to calm down. "Because, you're yelling at me. I'm not angry. Just a bit frustrated. There's a difference."

"So you're not angry with me, you just find me irritating and bothersome." Said the now for some reason offended Fran.

"Now I didn't say that." Balthier said becoming more flustered

"But I frustrate you?"

Balthier gave an exasperated sigh "Yes, to be perfectly honest. Sometimes. Not always."

"Like now."

"Yes!" Balthier nodded "At this particular moment in time I do feel rather put off." Balthier took a deep breath and exhaled. "And I'll admit, last night I was just a bit angry with you…"

"HA! I _knew_ it." Said Fran spitefully

"Oh come now." Balthier growing very impatient, "I wasn't trying to be deceitful or false hearted with you when I said I wasn't. Though I don't see why you're so mad. I was well within my rights to feel angry. I mean how do you expect a person to feel, being frightened half to death and then find out they were worried over nothing? You could have warned me or something."

"Oh? And what was I to say?" asked Fran as if the thought of giving him any kind of a warning was utterly preposterous.

"Oh I don't know," Balthier, throwing Fran's attitude back at her. "Something like 'Balthier, I'm going to get more firewood…oh by the way, if it seems like I'm about to hunt you down like a rabid worgen, don't worry, it's only because I've contracted the sudden urge to fuck you."

That, got Balthier slapped.

Fran stared daggers at Balthier snarling up her noise "Oh, you Humes and your vulgarity and sarcasm…"

And now he really _was_ angry.

"Oh, and you _Viera_ and your secretive secrets." Glared Balthier "Getting any bit of information out of you is like pulling teeth."

"Honestly! What IS it with you _Arcadians_ and your _obsession_ over information?"

"What IS it with you _Viera_ and being so adverse to sharing information? You act like saying anything about your race and culture is some big unbreakable taboo."

"Well it is!"

"Oh? And what of leaving The Wood eh? You certainly had no qualms over breaking _that_ taboo!"

Fran gasped, eyes wide with shock as if Balthier had slapped her.

Balthier regretted the statement as soon as it left his lips. "Oh bloody hell…" He sighed "I didn't mean that…I—"

Balthier's words were stopped in their tracks as Fran suddenly hunched over and burst into a fit of sobbing. She really was crying now, with tears and everything.  
His heart proceeded to crumble as a forlorn sense of dejection washed over him.

"Gods I'm a bastard. What am I doing, going and making a woman cry? Mother must be rolling in her grave." Balthier sighed feeling lower than low. "Oh Fran, I'm sorry, that was an absolutely horrid thing for me to say."

He reached out and wrapped his arms around the weeping Viera pulling her close to him.

"Please don't cry. I'm sorry I got angry. You just scared me, I was worried. I thought something was seriously wrong with you. I wanted to help but I hadn't the slightest clue on how. You wouldn't tell be anything. You wouldn't tell me what was wrong. And know one knows anything about Viera, so I couldn't ask anyone for help. You know I hate feeling helpless, not being able to do anything, being forced to sit and do nothing. You know me better than anyone. I only want to know you as you know me. Is that so terrible?"

Balthier sighed. He had no idea how he could make her understand his emotions. She had never displayed any kind of extreme emotion before. She had never gotten this angry or this sad. And he certainly had never seen her cry. Up until now he didn't even know Viera _could _express emotions like this, let alone cry.

"I care about you Fran, more that I care about anyone else that remains in this world. Do you understand that? It's only natural for people to want to know the people they care about. I don't know exactly why…It's just how we are."

"I know." Fran said in a sob

"Well as long as you know. Come now, stop crying. You're going to mess up your pretty face."

Balthier reached for a napkin and stared wiping away Fran's tears. The weepy Viera's face was all blotchy, her eyes were all red and puffy and her nose was red and stuffy causing her to sniffle. On top of that her hair was still all disheveled. The image of Fran from earlier that morning suddenly popped into Balthier's head.

He knew what he was about to do was most likely only going to make matters worse but Balthier simply couldn't help himself.

He suddenly burst out in loud hysterical laughter.

"Why are you laughing?"

Fran's distressed pouting voice only assisted in making Balthier laugh harder.

"If you're trying to make me feel better you're failing quite spectacularly."

"I'm sorry to laugh in your moment of woe, but you're just so utterly adorable looking all pouty like that."

"Well I'm glad you find my moment of woe to be so amusing."

"Oh Fran, don't be like that." Balthier couldn't stop himself from laughing. "It's just you've never been this way before…Gods, with all of these random mood swings, it's like you're a real woman."

"And you haven't seen me as a real woman before this?"

"Heavens no." Balthier's laugher was dieing down a bit.

Fran looked genuinely hurt and looked as if she were going to cry again.

"Oh Fran, when I first saw you at the gate to Arcadia... To me, a boy of 15 who had barely started coming into his voice, you were like a goddess. You've always been this strikingly beautiful ideal image of a woman to me. Perfect. Flawless. But you've always been so distant with all your mysterious secrets."

Balthier hung his head sighing "I could never get close to you, no matter how hard I tried. So you've remained this divine untouchable being.

And with your indifferent attitude I never knew what you really thought of me. I knew you at least you didn't hate me, you wouldn't have been around me if you hated me and you were so supportive when mother died. I only figured out a few months ago…during the accident…"

Now it was Balthier's turn to be on the verge of tears. "…You didn't abandon me and leave me to die… so I figured out that we're close friends. We'd always be friends. I was happy with that. I was fine with us being friends ...never becoming intimate…but last night that all changed…didn't it?"

"Oh Balthier." All Fran could think was, "What have I done? Gwyneth warned me about how fragile Humes were, why wasn't I more careful?"

Fran notice Balthier was shaking. She thought he might be crying but then she heard him softly chucking. This made her feel a bit more at ease.

That is until the chucking grew steadily louder before it became loud hysterical laughter.

"Balthier?"

" 'I tried to force myself on you.' 'How can you not hate me" Balthier, mocking Fran's voice "HAHAHA! Oh Fran you silly, silly girl. Do you really think I could ever hate you? Honestly?"

"No…I suppose not." Fran answered a bit unsure

"No…I suppose not" Balthier mimicking Fran's voice again. "You really are too cute."

Balthier made a sudden quick movement and Fran found herself on her back with the Hume male hovering over her with a rather deviously twisted smile split across his face.

"I've told you before love, you can't rape the willing." Balthier's voice was hardly above a whisper and laced with promise of wicked debauchery. "Have you the faintest idea how long I've dreamed of having you? I had all but given up, and then here you come, blowing my wildest fantasies right out of the water. Do you honestly think I would turn away something I've wanted for so very long?"

"Balthier." Fran's trembling breath whispered

Balthier's eye's snapped shut "Oh Gods how I've dreamed of hearing my name whispered on you lips like that."

Balthier sat up and looked at Fran naked and exposed before him and smiled "Last night you wanted me." He whispered "You wanted me in away no woman has ever wanted me before. You stared at me with such desperately needy eyes, your perfect flawless body spread before me, open, begging. Do you really think a bit of pain would discourage me from accepting the invitation?"

Balthier reached out to caress Fran's smooth supple flesh. She gasps and writhes under the soft caress of Balthier's hands.

The Arcadian chuckled deeply. "You're body is still as sensitive as it was last night…or are Viera always this sensitive?"

Balthier's hands abruptly move, caressing Fran between her legs pulling a gasping moan from her lips. He laughs

"I barely have to touch you and already your body responds to me." He grins and leans back over the Viera's body.

Fran gasps as the young man pushes his throbbing hardness against her.

"Have I gone too far?" Balthier whispers softly "Is this crossing the line? Do you want me to stop?"

Fran slowly shakes her head. "No." she breathes

* * *

Yes! And thus MORE hot smexing action insues X3

AAAHAHAHAHAA! I'm rather enjoying torturing poor Balthier and now he's done gone snapped…. I always do this to my leading guys…why do I always drive my boys to madness? Ooh! I know why! Because it's fun and keeps things interesting XD…and also so I can have a kind nurturing and supportive female character X3.

Balthier is fun you torment cause he's not the kind of person one can easily tease...if you try he'll just counter you with some clever smart ass remark.

But _I_ know your weakness Bunansa! Muwahahaha

Ah, ya... it was mean of me to sic a crying Fran on him, but Leading Men characters are always suckers for weeping girls. Heh heh

Ooh! If you wanna see a pic of Fran in all her cute poutyness see the link on my profile page X3

Gah, sorry this took so long…I got side tracked starting the Prequel to this fic…Yes I know I'm getting a head of myself , but the ideas just popped in my head and I had to write them down before I forgot them…

And you might have noticed I'm setting things up for that fic in this one

It's going to be about Balthier's past. How he met Fran, how he got the name Balthier and also about his family and why he _really_ hates his father.

The game completely ignored the mothers of people XP... like where's Ashe's Mother? And Larsa and Vane's Mother?

You also don't know anything about Balthier's Mother so I'm filling in that part…you'll learn more about her and the events surrounding her death.

Anyways… The main Bal x Fran part of this is pretty much done…just one more emotional bit of fluff and sap then the other chapters will just kind of wrap up the rest of the info I thought up about Viera mating…

Ne…besides pregnancy…is there anything you would ask about Viera mating?


	11. Viera Mating Rituals: Sexuality

**Mating Rituals of the Viera**  
**Affection and sexuality among Viera **

For the Viera who is in a vulnerable state after her first Coupling the other members of her village will offer her comfort and support. Viera seek and give comfort in the form of touch and it is common to for a Viera to be caressed by her close friends. Though this is very intimate, it is not necessarily sexual, especially if it is after the Viera's first coupling. She has only just come into her sexuality and has yet to associate intimate touch with intercourse, so when she seeks the gentle touch of her friends she is seeking only comfort and security. As we see Viera out in our world, they may seem, distant and stand offish, however, should you ever have the privilege of befriending one closely you can expect to have her seek a comforting touch from you every so often in private moments. But one should remember that the initiation of touch is not meant to be a sexual invitation. One could see it in the context of a young child wanting to sleep with her parents after she has had a scary dream.

Though that isn't to say that, as the Viera experiences more Couplings as her Mating Rite continues through the years, she won't eventual associate intimate touch with sexuality. However the Viera view of sexuality is quite different than that of the Hume view of sexuality, especially in regard to mating. Though it was explained to me and I feel I have a relatively good grasp on the subject, I am finding it hard to recant the explanation in a simple way.

When a Viera Female comes of age, her sexuality awakens; this I have said before. However this awakened sexuality is more like a whole other part of her subconscious that has awakened, very much like a separate person or personality. It is a wild primal entity that acts on the instinctive will to mate, thus the urge to seek out a male. After engaging in the Coupling Hunt this sexual entity goes back to sleep until it is again charged with the energy evoked from the Viera's element during its next cycle peek. However though this entity has gone into hibernation, the Viera is still left with the feelings and sensations of the actions she felt while under the influence of that other part of herself. She seeks out the comfort of her friends which they give in the form of intimate touch. Over time she will learn to draw parallels to the intimate touch of her friends with what she experiences during the Coupling Hunt. But even still, though they acknowledge the similarities between the intimacy between friends and the intimate nature of coupling, Viera distinctly separate the two. B.B.'s Viera companion, try as she may to explain the distinct difference, I could not fully grasp the concept. However B.B. was able to put it clearly in terms a Hume can understand.

Men are for Mating, Women are for Intimacy.

A Wooded Viera will only seek out a male when the sexual entity is awakened, but should a female want comfort at other times she can seek the aid of her friends. It would be too much of a hassle for her to try and hunt down a male each time she wants a bit of comfort.

When it's all said and done, it seems as though mating among the Viera is more similar to that of most wild animals. That is to say, it is done out of instinct and mostly for the purpose of continuing the species. Hardly romantic at all. However it is not completely uncommon for a male and female to develop an intimate bond over time. Every so often a Coupling results in a Bestowment, where a male and female, well, basically they fall in love. Though BB's Viera companion had me make sure that I noted, this bestowing is not love in the Hume sense, for Viera do not have a concept of love the way Humes do. But to make things simpler we shall say the couple is in love, for that is the closest explanation we could find for this bestowment phenomenon. In any case, it is common for the bestowed couple to leave their home villages and migrate to the village known as the Coupling Village. It is the only Viera Village in all the Wood where Males and Females live together. It is common for the Bestowed couple to live out the rest of their lives together in the Coupling Village. The only exception being during the females Koing Period, which is from the time she is with child until the time her child is grown enough to walk. After this Koing Period the bestowed mother then leaves her precious child in the intimate care of her sisters and clan mates to be brought up in the ways of the Wood. In the Hume perspective, this may seem very uncaring on the part of the mother, however I am told, it is for this reason Viera are so very close with each other. It's true that siblings and other family members carry the most responsibility in raising the child, but not just one or two people are in charge of this task, but the whole community. The children of Bestowed Couples are of course welcome to travel to the Coupling Village to see their parents, though the children usually never actually get all the way to the village. The Wood usually whispers the comings of their children to the parents and they are meet half way. This is the same for daughters and sisters who wish to see their fathers and brothers who live in a male village and for sons and bothers who wish to see their mothers and sisters who live in a female village. A female need only walk in the general direction of her father and brother's village and these men will meet her having gotten word of her coming from the Wood's Whispers.

So even though Viera are separated by their respective villages, they all are connected by the voice of the Wood. And though they seem unemotional to us Humes it is only because, while in the Wood the Viera are accustom to their feeling being conveyed by the Wood as well and thus need not show their feelings outwardly.

Viera who leave the Wood and are cut off from her voice have much to adapt to and can feel very isolated and very much alone in this vast new world they have chosen to live in.

* * *

So basically Viera are all bisexual by nature …as you can imagine, Balthier was quite keen on the idea X3 what straight warm blooded guy wouldn't be XD… though keep in mind I did said _all_ Viera, yes that means the males too. All the yaoi fan girls say hey! XD

the Bal x Fran chapter that demonstrats this particular point won't come up until later, though I can say, in Viera eyes, Balthier and Fran would be concidered a Bestowed Couple.


	12. Love

**Love & Affection **

_I'm sorry to have caused you so much pain and sorrow…_

_Pain isn't all bad…pain can be good at times. Pain let's you know that you haven't gone numb. It let's you know you're not dead. And in spite of all the emotional turmoil you've put me through, you make me feel grateful I can even feel such emotion, because the ability to feel such emotion let's me know I'm a living being. In other words, you make me feel alive. And you are the only one that can make me feel this way…_

The two lovers found themselves in a rather detached state, feeling only the warm touch of one another, hearing nothing but their own voices.

As they came slowly back down to earth, the world came back into focus. The clear blue sky above them, the soft white sand beneath them and the gentle sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

"I love you Fran."

"I know."

"I know you don't yet fully understand the Hume concept of love, but I just want you to know my feelings."

"I know and I'm trying to understand."

"I know. I know you're trying. You try very hard."

"It is such a complex emotion."

"Yes it is. Probably the most complex emotion there is."

"I will try hard to understand it better, and hopefully, one day I will be able return your feelings and give you the love you deserve to receive."

"Any love you give me is more than I deserve, but being the spoiled selfish brat I'm… not deserving something won't keep me from taking it."

"Balthier…"

"I'm sorry."

"Hmm? What have you to be sorry about? I am the one who acted strangely."

"I'm sorry about what I said before…about you having no qualms about leaving the Wood. That was quite possibly the cruelest thing I could have said to you. The Wood was your home for so long and I'm sure you have many happy memories from living there, and you talk about no longer being able to hear the voice of the Wood. Leaving that place is like loosing someone close to you isn't it? Like me loosing my mother. There are so many happy memories I have with her, but thinking of them now doesn't make me the least bit happy, they only make me miss her all the more. I can never make another memory with her ever again, and I'll never hear her voice again. The thought all but consumes me in an emptiness sorrow I've never know before. It's the same thing that you feel isn't it? And even though it's years since you lost this connection, it doesn't make the weight of your sorrow any lighter. I'm sorry for not understanding sooner."

Fran shook her head "I do not blame you for not understanding. It is a sort of thing one can understand only if they experience the same thing. Yes, it is as you say, leaving the Wood is like loosing someone dear to you, but it is a bit different for me. You lost your mother, but the mater was completely out of your hands. Her sickness was incurable and there was nothing you could do to keep from losing her. But my loss was my own doing. It was a choice I made and the real burden I have to bear is living with the sorrow I brought upon myself."

"Fran…"

"There have been times I have deeply regretted my decision but over all I have been glad of the choice I made. I have seen many wondrous things and learned of things I could never learn while staying isolated. If I had to go back and make the choice again knowing what I know now, I believe would still make the same decision."

Balthier nodded thoughtfully "I'm glad you choose to leave. If you hadn't I would've never met you and I shudder to think where I'd be now if I didn't have you as a friend. You've helped me through a rough time and I'm happy to have you close to me."

"I am pleased you feel that way."

"I'm leaving Arcadia. I've decided."

"Leaving?"

"Yes. I have no reason for staying in that bloody city. In that same miserable, vile city as that wretched worthless thing masquerading as my father. I have nothing there."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. On top of that, war is coming. I can smell it, the way a seasoned sailor can smell a squall on the wind. I've seen enough of what the military is doing to know that they're planning an invasion of the other kingdoms of Ivalice and I know the empire well enough to know they will have nothing less than complete domination and with those who are unwilling to submit they will beat until blood and broken. I have no desire to fight and die "honorably" for a cause I do not believe in. My so called friends have abandoned me now that I am of no use to them and the military is full of no one but two faced back stabbers and worthless spineless dogs. There is no one worthy of my loyalty and thus I have no reason to stay."

"No reason? None at all?"

Balthier hears the sadness in Fran's voice

"You know you're the only reason I have for anything. You're the only reason I choose to remain in this world. If you ever leave this world then I'll have no reason to remain. So like wise, if you leave that wretched city, then I'll have no reason to have to stay."

"Balthier?"

"Come with me Fran. I know it's selfish of me to ask you to follow me into exile when you're already an outcast of one society, but please say you'll come with me."

"Yes. Of course I'll come with you."

Balthier hugged Fran closer to him and planted a sweet kiss on her forehead.

They both lie there contently listening to the sounds of the crashing waves.

"So where will we go? What will we do?" Fran asked after a while

"I was thinking we'd get an airship. I know I can't get anything from the old man but I've got my savings and the money mother left me. It's enough to buy something off the salvage yard and fix up. With both our skills it's shouldn't be a problem. Nono will most likely help out too. And then, well with an airship we can go any where we like now can't we."

"Hmmm, yes freedom of the skies." Nods Fran, "Sounds nice."

"Yes…nice…"

"Is there something wrong?" Fran picking up on Balthier's unease.

"Well…I'm sure…in the beginning it will be hard for us…" Balthier finally deciding to address this particular topic. They had to talk about it at some point.

"Yes most likely we'll be rather short on money." Ponders Fran "But I know some people that can help us out."

"Ah, that's good. Yes, things will be rather tight for us, especially with a child, but I have every confidence we can get by…"

"Oh, we're taking a child too?" Fran sat up and titled her head curiously "Who?"

"Ah…well…ours." Balthier, feeling quite awkward about the conversation

"But we don't have a child."

"Well no, not right this moment but_…_" Balthier really didn't believe Fran was that dense about such a thing. She had said Viera have their own version of "The Talk". Surely they talked about where babies came from. "I mean… well, we've had sex… a great number of times, without any sort of contraceptive measures. There's an extremely high chance that you're with child by now."

"No there isn't." Fran shaking her head "That's quite impossible."

"Ah, um… and can you please tell me your exact reasoning behind that." Balthier continuing the line of inquiry

"Because this has only been my first coupling."

Balthier was becoming a bit irritated. Fran was back to her short answers not bothering to elaborate beyond the general scope of the question.

"Ok," Balthier sighed "You're going to answer all my questions and tell me everything there is to know about Viera mating. I understand about not wanting to talk about your past or things in The Wood you can no longer be apart of, but this is different. It's not in the past, you can be involved in it and now I'm a part of as well, so you can't say I'm meddling in things that have nothing to do with me. I have a right to know."

Fran was a bit taken back by Balthier's directness, but then after thinking a moment she slowly nodded. "Yes you are right. You are a part of this so you have every right to know. I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry, just as long as you answer my questions and tell me what I need to know." Balthier smiled, happy to finally be able to possibly get some answers. "So, you're not pregnant."

"No."

"But Viera _can_ get pregnant at some point in time yes?"

"Yes." Fran nodded

"Ok, so just what are the conditions for which a Viera _can_ become pregnant?"


	13. Viera Mating Rituals: Fertility

**Mating Rituals of the Viera **

**Fertility and conditions for becoming with child**

It has been explained to me that the Ritual of Viera Mating is actually a sort of Magikal Fertility Rite. Just because a Viera has come of age and her sexual urge has awakened, it does not mean that she is fertile and able to become with child. The main purpose of the Mating Ritual is to gather a kind of life energy the Viera call "Marsc". Each time a Viera completes the ritual, she gains Marsc and becomes one step closer to becoming fertile. How much a female gains each time depends on which element she is in tune with. Some elements are stronger than others and the stronger the element, the more the Viera can gain from it. If an element is strong then it has a great abundance of life energy, thus it has more it can give to a Viera who is in tune with it, as appose to a weaker element that has less life energy and thus less it can offer to a Viera. With this we can conclude that a Viera that is in tune with a strong element, will become fertile faster than a Viera who is in tune with a lesser element.

The strongest elements a Viera can be in tune with are the Sun and Moon. They are known as Reigning Independents for, according to Viera belief, these two elements "Reign" over all others and they can stand independent from all elements. Also these two can "control" other elements. For example, the Sun controls Fire and the Moon controls the tide. Because of this, Viera who are aligned with these elements can also gain from the elements that are under the control of the Sun or Moon. For example, a Viera who's in tune with the Moon element will also gain from being close to the sea during her mating ritual.

A Viera who is in tune with the Sun or Moon can expect to gain enough Marsc from these elements to become fertile in two to four Flauna Cycles, that is to say 10 to 20 Hume years. The weakest elements a Viera can be in tune with are Flora and Fauna elements. They are weak because they depend on other elements to survive. For example, without Earth, Water and Sun, none of the Flora elements could be sustained. Thus Flora and Fauna elements have very little life energy to give any Viera that may have an alignment with them. A Viera who is in tune with these elements can expect to gain enough Marsc to become fertile in 8 to 10 Flauna Cycles, that is to say 40 to 50 Hume years.

With this knowledge, it is little wonder that there has not yet been a case of Viera pregnancy seen outside the Wood. I have been told that nearly all of the Viera that have left the Wood have come outside before they have come of age. For us to see a Viera become with child she will first have to come of age and then partake in the Mating Ritual for 10 to 50 years depending on her elemental alignment.

The number of children a Viera can have is also determined by her element. The Sun and Moon aligned Viera can only become pregnant once before her Marsc level returns to 0 and she must begin the Mating Ritual from the beginning before she can have another child. Flora and Fauna aligned Viera can become pregnant as many as five times before her Marsc level returns to 0.

So because Sun and Moon aligned Viera can become pregnant with more frequency than those with Flora and Fauna alignments, it does not necessarily mean they produce more children. The nature of the things seems to balance things out quite nicely.

There is an exception to the Sun and Moon aligned Viera having only one child each time her Marsc level fills to capacity and that being if she has twins. Though having twins is said to be very rare among the whole of the Viera Race. It is a great and highly celebrated event if a Viera should have twins and it is said to be the highest blessing and greatest gift the Gods can bestow.

* * *

Rather complex I know, but it explains why you don't see tons of Viera babies running around in the game and how Baltheir hasn't knocked up Fran by now from all the sex I image they have XD

Zonuds! 3 count 'em 3 whole chapter up at once! 'tis my gift to you, my loyal readers :D

Actually, I had this fertilty chapter and the Viera sexuality chapters written ages ago and the Bal x Fran love chapter was half done before I finished the morning after chapter...

the next Bal Fran chapter is pretty much done too...just have to tweek it some more, should be up relitivliy soon.

how awesome am I w 


	14. Family

**In which Balthier finally learns something about Fran's family**

"I see." Says Balthier "So, you and your sisters are 20 years apart then."

Fran and Balthier had since located their clothing and were having a nice lunch together.

"Well Jote and I are, but there are 40 years between Mjrn and I. Ian was born after myself and Mjrn was born after him." Said Fran picking from Balthier's plate.

"You never told me you have a brother." Balthier said

"You never asked if I had a brother." Said Fran "When I mentioned in the past that I was the elder's younger sister and that now that I had left there would be a heaver burden on Mjrn, you only inquired about them at the time, you didn't not ask if I had any other siblings."

Balthier signed and smiled. Again with the lack of elaboration and never volunteering information. But alas, she can not help but to be herself and he would not love her if she was anything else. "Well do you have any other siblings besides your two sisters and one brother?"

"Not that I know of." Said Fran. "But mother could very well have had another child by now since my departure. Though mother had been reaching her Pasferteal stage, the time in a Viera's life when she can no longer become fertile. If she had become with child after Mjrn, then it would have been the last time."

"So your brother lived in your village until he was old enough to talk and now he lives in the male village with your father…"

"Yes Ian lives in the male village but my father does not." Said Fran "He is with mother in the Coupling Village"

"Ah, so your mother and father are one of those "Bestowed" Couples you mentioned before."

"Yes." Fran answered in her usual simple fashion.

"So how often did you go to see your parents and brother? If you don't mind me asking…"

"The last time I saw my mother was during her Koing period with Mjrn. The last time I saw my father was when he came for mother after her Koing period was over and he accompanied her back to the Coupling Village. Ian ventured in the direction of our village once when he was about 2 Cycles old and Jote and I went to met him. I accompanied Mjrn when she ventured to see Ian, but since then he has not ventured towards us since nor have we ventured towards him."

"You mean you have not seen your family for years?" Balthier astonished. "Would you even know your brother if you saw him now?"

"Most likely not."

Fran looked over a Balthier and sensed his unease.

"When we are little we have the want and need to see our family that live elsewhere, but that desire fades. The Wood tells us they are all well and content. So there is no need for us to see them. I know it seems strange for you, being Humes live in such close vicinity to their family."

"Yes it does seem strange, but I know I can't be so bias about it. I knew Viera culture was vastly different than of Humes… I just didn't know how much."

"Your level of understanding and acceptance never ceases to amazes me." Says Fran

"It comes from growing up around scientists and attending the Academy." Sighs Balthier "I was taught that, when it comes to things I don't understand I should think objectively about it. If I find something strange, I should think why I feel it's strange. And if I find it strange because I am comparing it to my own societies standard of what's normal then I'm being ethnocentric and bias and should try my best to look at it from the prospective of whatever I find strange. Yes I find it strange how unemotional Viera seem and rather sad that you haven't seen your family in years and wouldn't know your own brother if he were standing right next to you. But then again I don't know what it's like to have a voice whispering in my ear telling me things I need to know, like how some is feeling or how my family is doing. When I take the voice of the Wood into account, I can begin to see how Viera can stand to be separated from their family and not have the burning need to see them all the time."

Fran smiles and leans against Balthier "You are a Hume wise beyond his years. Though I suppose I knew that already when I felt how old your soul was. It is a great part of the reason I picked you. Now more than ever I am content with my choice of venturing out of the Wood."

Balthier smiled and put his arm around Fran and pulls her closer to him. Fran rest her head on his shoulder. "Glad to hear it."

"Ne, Fran…"

"Hm?"

"You say you haven't seen your brother since he was a small child and most likely wouldn't recognize him…Is it the same for other Viera? You know, having a brother they don't know."

"Yes. The others who have brothers in the male village most likely would not know them should their paths cross."

"I see…doesn't that raise a bit of a problem when it comes to mating?"

"No. Why should it?"

* * *

Just wanted to cover all the bases…If I thought of it then others will have thought of it too…don't know what I'm talking about? Eh, just wait till the next chapter…

So yes, I added a member to Fran's family…remember him…he may pop up in a later story X3


	15. Mating Rituals of the Viera: Incest?

**Mating Rituals of the Viera**  
**Incest? More about elemental alignment and males**

Being that males and females live separately and it is very possible a female may have a brother she may not recognize if they were to cross paths, the question "What if you end up "Hunting" your brother?" was raised.

Our Viera source tells us that it's highly unlikely a female would end up hunting a male sibling. Apparently the elemental alignment is hereditary and the that case being a female would go after a male whose elemental alignment is not at its peek, she would not hunt her brother, being his elemental alignment would be the same as hers, thus at its peek during the same time. Which ever element the mother is aligned with determines which element her children will be aligned with.

Just to add an interesting fact about elemental alignment that really has nothing to do with the mating but it does give significant incite into Viera culture; Elemental alignment does not determine status among Viera. Simply because the Sun and the Moon are considered "regaining elements" it does not mean Viera with these alignments rule over the clans. Leaders of various clans are chosen by The Wood herself, for reasons only she knows. The Clan leader is the only one with what Humes would see as a High Status. Below that everyone is considered an equal part of the whole, each one having a significant and contributing purpose. For, as the elements co exists harmoniously so do the Viera that are aligned with them.

Another thing about males you may wonder about is how they feel about this ritual. One might imagine a male having a nice walk through the Wood minding his own business only to be suddenly assailed by a female's flying embrace. Our Viera source tells us this is hardly the case. Of course with the voice of the Wood whispering through the ears of every Viera that lives under her boughs, a female would be very hard pressed indeed to take a male completely by surprise. The Viera do not call this the Coupling _Hunt_ for nothing. The female engages the male in a game of cat and mouse and the male tries to evade the female for as long as he can. Our Viera source is not entirely clear on the Males thoughts on the subject, since she and most females do not have much contact with males outside of mating, but she had heard that the males make a bit of sport out of the Hunt. Though the males don't really try all that hard to escape the females grasp they enjoy seeing how many times they can dodge a female's ambush in a set amount of time. She says the current record is 12 times with in the set limit of 15 minutes. As you may conclude this is a rather amusing bit of merriment for the Viera and adds some excitement to their other wise slow paced monotonous everyday routine. Also to our Viera source's understanding, the males have great respect and reverence for the females. She feels this may have some thing to do with the time the males spend with their mother in her village at early childhood.

And with that I conclude this edition of the monthly journal of the Ivalician Society of Anthropology talking about Viera Mating Rituals. I hope you have enjoyed this addition and have come to understand our Mysterious Viera friends a bit more. I must once again thank BB and his Viera companion for with out them this information may have never been brought to light. And as always I thank our loyal subscribers for your continued support of our Society.

--_Dr. Seamus Nathaniel Fawkes: Professor of Natural History and Anthropology at the Arcadian Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom._

* * *

So… ya. So now you know where Viera babies come from. And yes, I do plan some kind of a Mating Rituals of the Viera II following up when Balthier finally successes in knocking Fran up X3…tho that won't be until later. Next is the "How Balthier met Fran" story…

But first…BONUS CHAPTERS I'm done with the scientific journal part… the next chapters take place during the game time…so the other party members get to witness a bit of the ritual for themselves X3


	16. Bonus Chapter

**Bonus Chapter!  
**

**In which Vaan, Penelo, Ashe and Basch witness a bit of the Viera Mating Ritual for themselves. X3  
**

Timeline: Game, any time about 4 weeks before the Pharos Light House you wanna fit it into. With having to walk to most of the places I doubt the whole quest took less than a month…

---

"No way!" Argued Vaan "That's totally bogus."

"Is not!" Penelo argued back. "I'm telling you Vaan, that's just how it is."

"I seriously doubt it." Vaan said skeptically

Suddenly the argument of two young Rabanastans were interrupted by a sky pirate running by.

"Ah. He can settle this… Balthier!" Called Vaan

Balthier stopped and wheeled around to see who called him. "Ah! Vaan! Perfect." He quickly backtracked to where Vaan and Penelo were. "Be a good lad and hang on to this for me." Balthier thrusting his intricately embroidered leather vest into Vaan's hands. "Ah! And while I'm thinking about it…" The pirate quickly pulled off his shirt and added to the vest in the confused young thief's hands.

Penelo pleasantly took notice of the dashing young man's nicely toned and defined torso. "Mmm."

"Hu? But what for?" protested Vaan

"Because I rather like them and don't want them to get ruined." Balthier said as if the fact was as clear as day.

Balthier noticed Penelo noticing him and flashed her one of his charming boyish grins before dashing off again. "Thanks Vaan!" he called as he turned the corner

"But…ah…what was that all about?" questioned Vaan. He turned to his childhood friend, noticing her pleasantly lust tinted smile as her eyes watched the rouge pirate's backside disappear around the corner.

"Uh! Penelo!" said a flustered and slightly annoyed Vaan giving her a look.

"What?" questioned Penelo "A girl can look can't she?"

Vaan opened his mouth to say something when suddenly, he found himself flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him.

Vaan was shocked to find a Viera on top of him franticly sniffing at the clothing he was holding. "Fran?! What the…?"

Fran's head shot up and she glared at Vaan with crazed wild eyes. "Where is he?!" She demanded in a growling echoing voice. "Which way did he go?"

"Hu?" A very startled and confused Vaan asked

"You mean Balthier?" Asked a calm yet amused Penelo "He ran that way."

Fran's head shot up and followed the direction Penelo was pointing before rushing off on the route directed.

After the frenzied Viera cleared the corner, Penelo's curiosity got the best of her and she started to follow.

"Penelo! Where do you think you're going?" Question Vaan

"Oh come on, Vaan. Don't act like you're not interested in seeing this too."

The young thief took a moment to contemplate and then got up to follow his friend.

**…**

Balthier was sprinting upstairs to where the rooms the group had reserved for that night were.

"Hahaha." The pirate laughed to himself over the fiendish trick he had just played on the poor young desert rouge. "I would have loved to see the look Vaan's face. So sorry Vaan, all's fair in love and war you know, and my joke at your expense bought me some time."

Balthier cleared the stairs and was almost to his room when suddenly Ashe came out of hers, the two nearly colliding

"Ah! So sorry…" Apologies the princess, as she looks up at who she had almost run into. "Balthier! W-what in the world?" She exclaimed getting an eye full of Balthier's half nakedness.

"Princess." Balthier flashed Ashe a wide beaming grin "So sorry, my fault, I'm afraid I haven't the time to chat right at this moment so if you will please excuse me…"

Ashe suddenly gave a surprised shriek as Fran suddenly came flying towards them.

The Viera pounced on Balthier, arms and legs wrapped tightly around him. "Got you!"

It took all of Balthier's strength to hold his ground and stay standing against Fran's flying embrace, but managed it. "Yes, so you have."

"That was a vicious trick you played on our little thief indeed, a cunning ploy to buy you time…devious, yet clever… so very you." Fran's voice playfully mischievous

"Yes I thought so as well." Smiled Balthier, "I figured you of all people would appreciate the fine ingenuity of it... Now then, Fran, darling, if you don't mind, the clinging grip you have on me is causing your long rather sharp nails to dig into my arm…"

Fran released Balthier and unwrapped her long limbs from around his body. Balthier's reprieve didn't last long for Fran then shoved him against the wall and proceeded to ravenously feed on Balthier's mouth in the form of a deep eagerly zealous kiss.

While Fran attempted to eat Balthier mouth first, her hands frantically found their way to his belt.

Balthier's hands quickly and firmly grasped the Viera's wrists causing her to pull back and shoot the man a very unfriendly look.

"Now Fran." Balthier said in a calm yet firm tone, not flinching at Fran's evil eye look. "What did we discus about privacy?"

At that moment the door next to Fran and Balthier opened and Basch stuck his head out. "Is everything all right out here?" inquired the ex-captain "What's all the commotion about?"

Fran took the opportunity to grab a fistful of the unsuspecting man's vest, wrench him the rest of the way out of his room and dragged her pirate comrade into it, closing the door with a fiercely loud slam.

Ashe rapidly blinked a few times. "Oh…my..."

"Whoa." Said Vaan peeking up from the stairs with Penelo peeking over him

"What, just…happened?" Questioned a very confused and perplexed Basch

"Well…Balthier had just dashed up the stairs as I came out of my room and we almost ran into each other….then we we're standing here, when out of no where Fran…" Ashe tilted her head trying to think of the right word. "…Just, jumps Balthier…"

"Flying leap! And then Bam!" said Vaan. "It was so cool."

Penelo laughed "Ya, it was funnier when she did it to you though. Man the look on your face."

"Quite you."

"…And then," Ashe went on "Fran shoved Balthier against wall and well…"

"Tonsil hockey!" Laughed Vaan "I swear! She had her tongue halfway down Bal's throat. Oh man it was so awesome."

"Ew!" said Penelo "No one wants to hear what a flaming perv you are."

"Ya, and who was the one that wanted to follow them in the first place?" asked Vaan

Ashe continued ignoring the orphans banter. "And now…it appears…"

Heads turned as moans start coming from the room Balthier and Fran now occupied.

"Bal and Fran are totally getting it on!" smiled Vaan "Go Bal!"

"Go Fran." Penelo giggled

Ashe only covered her mouth and proceeded to turn a bright shade of red.

"I'm putting in for a room change." The ex-captain sighed and started walking off down the hall.

The blushing princess and giggling orphans followed him down the stairs, leaving the pirates to their affaires.

* * *

Viera Flying Glomp of DOOOOM! XD 

EDIT: Ok I lied about having a new chapter... sorry. See the new fake Chapter for an explanation

I'm ending the story here and moving on with the next one


	17. End

Sorry, this isn't the chapter I promised. After I finished it, I found it would fit better in the other story instead. I tried to write a different chapter that would fit this story better but it wasn't any good. So I'm ending this story. The Bonus is a good place to leave off I feel.

Soo, ya. Sorry for making you wait all this time ; I've posted the new story. I couldn't think of a better title so I'm sticking with 'Fall of the House Bunansa'

It's mostly about centers completely around Balthier and how his interaction with the others around him contributed to the events of the game. Nothing less for the leading man XD Tho I warn you, he's gonna be angsty. But suffering builds character. I plan of fully depicting how a pampered boy from a privileged family broke down and choose to be a rebel.


End file.
